I'm Donut Hongdae Opens as the Brand’s Second Seoul Store With 14 Hongdae-Only Menus

I’m Donut Hongdae officially opened on May 23, 2026, marking the premium fresh-donut brand’s second location in Korea after its Seongsu debut. The new shop brings the brand into one of Seoul’s busiest youth and culture districts, with a menu built around both familiar favorites and Hongdae-only items.¹

For anyone tracking Seoul’s dessert scene, the opening matters because it is not just another branch. Eightground, the company behind the Korean operation of I’m Donut, positioned the Hongdae store as a more localized, district-aware version of the brand, with new menu development, a self-led interior project, and a store plan shaped around how people move through Hongdae.²

I’m Donut Hongdae Opening Details

아임도넛 홍대 오픈 14 Hongdae-only donut menu concept

The Hongdae store is located at 14 Wausan-ro 21-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, with the Tableling store page listing it as being on the first floor. The same page gives its operating hours as 10:00 to 20:00 from Monday through Sunday, and notes that waiting is handled on-site only.³

That last detail is worth keeping in mind if you are planning around the opening buzz. The brand’s Seongsu location was known for drawing opening-run demand, and the Hongdae branch arrives with a similar level of curiosity around its fresh-donut format. The available store information does not mention remote waiting or reservations, so the clearest source-backed takeaway is simple: the Hongdae shop is listed as an in-person waiting location.³

The opening also gives I’m Donut a broader Seoul footprint. Consumer Times reported that the first Korean store opened in Seongsu in September 2025, followed by the second store in Hongdae on May 23, 2026.⁴ That progression makes Hongdae the brand’s next step after testing demand in another high-profile Seoul neighborhood.

What Makes The Hongdae Store Different

The most eye-catching difference is the menu. The Hongdae location offers 34 donut varieties, including 14 items that were not available at the Seongsu store. Those Hongdae-specific options include products using mugwort, as well as tamago and omelet-style menu items.⁴

Newswire also described the Hongdae branch as introducing 14 exclusive items built with ingredients and ideas such as mugwort, tamago, truffle, and omelet.¹ In plain terms, the new shop is not only repeating the Seongsu lineup in a different neighborhood. It is using the second opening to test a more localized flavor identity.

Mugwort is especially important in the source material. Cookie News reported that the Hongdae store emphasizes localization around mugwort-centered menu development, while also connecting the brand’s broader strategy to natural fermentation and aging processes.⁵ For readers who know Korean dessert trends, that makes sense: mugwort can feel familiar and nostalgic, but it also fits neatly into the current appetite for deeper, less sugary flavors.

The design story is another point of distinction. Newswire reported that the Hongdae branch is the first case in which Eightground handled the interior design and planning internally.¹ That suggests the company is treating the store not only as a sales point, but also as a way to define how I’m Donut should feel in Korea.

Eightground CEO Kang Chang-min framed the expansion as more considered than simply chasing foot traffic. In an interview, he said the company looked at “consumer patterns, dwell time, and ways of experiencing space” by commercial district when choosing locations.² That comment fits the contrast between Seongsu and Hongdae: both are busy, but they carry different rhythms, audiences, and expectations.

Fresh Donuts, Local Strategy, And What Comes Next

The brand’s preferred language is also specific. Cookie News quoted Kang as saying that the company sees itself as creating a new “fresh donut” category rather than operating as a general donut brand.⁵ That matters because the Hongdae launch is being presented less as a routine franchise expansion and more as an attempt to shape a category around texture, freshness, and process.

From the available reporting, the company also appears cautious about how quickly it grows. Consumer Times reported Kang’s comment that the company intends to avoid a model of opening many stores only in Seoul, while also noting a direct-operation focus.⁴ That is a useful detail for anyone wondering whether I’m Donut will suddenly appear on every major street: the stated direction is more selective than that.

At the same time, expansion is clearly on the table. The interview coverage from iNews24 via Daum reported that the brand is considering entry into Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, as well as regional bases such as Busan and Jeju.² Consumer Times also reported a planned third store at Shinsegae Gangnam in June 2026.⁴ If that schedule holds, the Hongdae opening sits in the middle of a larger rollout, not at the end of one.

For visitors, the practical picture is straightforward. The Hongdae shop has a confirmed address, listed daily hours, an on-site waiting system, and menu examples including original, chocolate, mugwort, and fresh French cruller items on Tableling.³ The more interesting cultural picture is that I’m Donut is using Hongdae to show how its fresh-donut concept can adapt to a neighborhood known for movement, youth culture, and fast-changing food trends.

I'm Donut Hongdae in-person waiting system Seoul opening trend

The May 23, 2026 opening of I’m Donut Hongdae gives Seoul dessert fans a new branch to watch, but it also gives the brand a more defined Korean identity through Hongdae-only menus, localized flavors, and a store concept shaped around the character of the district.